CCM: Food additive traceability system to be established 08-18-2016

On 20 July, 2016, the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) released the Notice to Further Enhance Supervision on Food Additive Production in a move to strengthen supervision on food additive production and establish a food additive traceability system.



Source: Baidu


The Notice specifically included the following provisions: 


- It urged manufacturers to carry out production in accordance with laws and regulations and to assume responsibility: manufacturers are expected to establish self-check systems for food safety, with government departments then carrying out supervision on these self-check records, production conditions and safety risks


- The stringent licensing of food additive production:


  • Manufacturers should provide documents about production processes, raw/supporting materials and product formulations in line with laws and regulations, which government departments should then examine
  • Government departments should clearly outline the responsibilities of inspectors, and establish a system for recording and documenting on-the-spot inspections, which should involve inspectors signing off on such inspections


- Reinforcement of problem-oriented supervision and checks on key production links. In particular, manufacturers should:


  • Check in-warehouse raw materials and organise production in line with laws and regulations
  • Take strict control over food additives, ensuring that they are used within their licensed application range and usage amount
  • Label products in accordance with laws and regulations such as national food safety standards and food safety law
  • Perform strict quality control to make sure that finished products meet national standards


- Increased sampling tests: government departments should carry out sampling tests frequently and regularly to ensure food additive quality and safety


- Guidance should be provided to food additive manufacturers to help establish traceability systems:


  • Local food and drug administrations should offer guidelines to manufacturers on building food safety traceability systems, something which manufacturers should do within 2 years
  • Manufacturers should document sources of raw materials, production procedures, and product distribution (e.g destination, quantity, etc. of goods sold), to make each link traceable



In recent years, local food and drug administrations have paid increasing attention to food additive manufacturing, something which has already exerted pressure on manufacturers. This new notice will inevitably also increase the burden on them.


Sweeteners, a sector of the food additive market, will also be impacted: production costs will rise, and prices will grow slightly, mostly because manufacturers will need to invest in new systems, and will have to pass on such increased costs to users or consumers.


However, in regards to the sweetener business as a whole, this traceability system will help improve market transparency, and will provide a public platform for upstream raw material suppliers, sweetener manufacturers, and end users, who will then be able to check and ensure product quality and safety.

 

Review of the policies for the establishment of food additive traceability system


  • Dec. 2015 – The State Council released the Opinions to Accelerate Construction of Key Products Traceability Systems. One item in particular related to the food industry: the advancement of the construction of a food traceability system, the extension of the system into the raw material supply side, and improve industry chain traceability


  • April 2016 – The CFDA solicited public opinion regarding the Opinions to Improve the Food and Drug Traceability Systems, which is a supplement to the previously released Opinions. Specifically, it requires food and drug manufacturers to record the source of raw/supporting materials and the distribution of finished products, and to keep records and evidence, such as bills for checking, in accordance with laws and regulations; it also requests that food and drug distributors/sellers take all the measures outlined in the document in order to clarify the source and destination of goods


  • July 2016 – The CFDA unveiled the Notice to Further Enhance Supervision on Food Additive Production, with an intention of establishing a food additive traceability system


All this indicates that the government is no longer targeting certain individual manufacturers, but the full industry chain.

 

This article comes from Sweeteners China News 1608, CCM

 



About CCM:

CCM is the leading market intelligence provider for China’s agriculture, chemicals, food & ingredients and life science markets. Founded in 2001, CCM offers a range of data and content solutions, from price and trade data to industry newsletters and customized market research reports. Our clients include Monsanto, DuPont, Shell, Bayer, and Syngenta. CCM is a brand of Kcomber Inc.

 

For more information about CCM, please visit www.cnchemicals.com or get in touch with us directly by emailing econtact@cnchemicals.com or calling +86-20-37616606.

 

Tag: sweetener  food


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